Apple TV series The Essex Serpent has been drawing critical acclaim for everything from its ambiguous ending (which aired June 10th), but especially for star Claire Danes. In The Essex Serpent, Danes takes on the role of a widow accused of bringing tragedy to a town, in a complex historical role that is a far cry from the teen drama (My So-Called Life) that launched her to fame in the 90s. Since then, Danes has taken on everything from period pieces to modern romance, high-impact drama and lighter comedy - many of which have an impressive IMDb score.
Shopgirl (2005) - 6.3
Streaming on Disney+
In this adaptation of Steve Martin's novel, Danes stars as Mirabelle, a lonely young aspiring artist working at a glove counter at Saks Fifth Avenue in Los Angeles. Mirabelle ends up in a love triangle with a young slacker, Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman) and a wealthy businessman, Ray (Martin).
This movie is an interesting deconstruction of love triangle stories that involve a wealthy older love interest, and younger poorer love interest. The movie plays a lot with who Mirabelle will choose, and the script showcases Danes' believable portrayal of the lonely shopgirl. The wealthier Ray at first seems like the better option with his charming demeanor and ability to give her any material thing she wants despite telling her upfront that he can't commit to her. Jeremy goes through a lot of personal improvement, so much so he is mistaken for Ray, but is able to win Mirabelle over with genuine affection. This feels like a unique take on the classic love triangle story, although it may turn some viewers off by how bittersweet it can be at times.
The Essex Serpent (2022) - 6.5
Streaming on Apple TV
Recently widowed after the death of her abusive husband, Cora Seaborne (Danes) moves from London to Essex to investigate a mysterious serpent. The series also stars Tom Hiddleston as Pastor Will Ransome, who forms a bond with Cora over science.
This is a slow-paced but intriguing gothic drama that takes its time with suspense. Danes does a convincing English accent which is something that is not always easy to achieve. While not all of the subplots work, such as the one involving Cora's maid looking to help the poor with social change, there are other elements that do come across very well. Cora's love for natural history and quest to prove the serpent is a plesiosaur makes for an engaging main character. Another highlight is the love triangle Claire has with a single aspiring heart surgeon named Luke (Frank Dillane) and a married pastor Will Ransome (Hiddleston) which takes even more of the focus than the serpent itself.
Romeo + Juliet (1996) - 6.7
Streaming on Hulu
This modern retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet set on Verona Beach uses the play's original dialogue, directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Romeo and Danes as Juliet.
This movie adaptation is appealing because it manages to update the story to the 1990s. The use of the original Shakespearean language, though, may not appeal to everyone. Danes is convincing as the love-struck fourteen-year-old and has incredible chemistry with DiCaprio as Romeo. Their "meet cute" in the aquarium is particularly convincing. A huge hit in the 90s, this redefined the play for a generation, with Lurhmann's signature over-the-top style.
Stage Beauty (2004) - 7.1
Streaming on Amazon Prime
Danes plays Maria Hughes, a seventeenth-century theatre dresser who causes the law of who can play female roles to change. She auditions to play Desdemona in Othello, which puts her employer, Ned Kynaston (Billy Crudup), known for playing female leads, out of the job.
The film explores gender in regard to stage performance with the contrast between Maria and Ned. It also explores bisexuality with Ned's attraction to both his lover George Villiers and Maria. The two are sort of rivals in the beginning, who appear to have a mutual attraction to each other. Danes as Maria is understated and she never outright has a love confession. One part that stands out is Maria and Ned coaching each other on how to play their own gender on stage. Although the movie does have some similarities to Shakespeare In Love, it still has enough differences to stand on its own.
Little Women (1994) - 7.3
Streaming on Netflix
Based on the book of the same name, the March sisters come of age in post Civil War America. Danes plays Beth March, the youngest sister who is shy and kind, but dies at age 18 after contracting scarlet fever several years earlier. The film also stars Winona Ryder as Jo March and Christian Bale as Laurie.
Although her character doesn't get as much screen time as the other sisters, Danes gives an effective performance - especially in the scene where Beth dies. The rest of the cast does very well, particularly Ryder who portrays Jo's determinedness from the book. The adaptation is very reminiscent of the novel it's based on and features performances that capture the essence of the novel. Worthwhile viewing for Danes' portrayal and the rest of the ensemble.
Les Misérables (1998) - 7.4
Streaming HBO Max
In this adaption of the Victor Hugo novel of the same name, Jean Valjean (played by Liam Neeson) a Frenchman convicted for stealing a loaf of bread is pursued by Javert (Geoffrey Rush), a police officer. Meanwhile, they are in the midst of student revolutions. Danes plays Jean Valjean's adopted daughter, Cossette.
Danes as Cossette is far more independent than the character normally is. She objects to the control Jean Valjean has over her life, and convinces him to leave to Paris. However, many plot points and characters are absent - for example, Eponine and the love triangle she is in with Marius and Cossette are completely gone. In spite of this, it's still an effective - albeit abridged - adaptation, and Danes' unique take on Cossette is worthwhile.
Stardust (2007) - 7.6
Streaming on YouTube
In this fantasy movie based on the novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman, Tristan (Charlie Cox), a young man in an English village that is next to the borders of the magical kingdom of Stormhold, crosses over to retrieve a fallen star, Yvaine (Danes) and give her to his sweetheart. The only problem is that others are after her as well.
The love story between Yvaine (Danes) and Tristan (Cox) is one of the best aspects of this movie. They go from resenting each other to slowly falling for each other. Danes also has a very natural-sounding English accent. The movie's other characters are very memorable as well. This is especially the case with the villain, Lamia the witch (Michelle Pfeiffer) and the kind-hearted Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro).
Temple Grandin (2010) - 8.2
Streaming HBO Max
This is a biopic of Temple Grandin (Danes), an autistic woman who became a scientific expert in animal husbandry, creating humane designs for cattle processing plants as well as creating the "hug box," a device for calming autistic people.
Danes is very convincing at portraying Grandin as an individual. For example, Danes' voice in the film sounds very close to the real Grandin. The biopic is an inspiring real-life story of Temple's journey and the many obstacles and successes she went through. A unique aspect of the film is how it portrays on screen what Grandin is thinking, both when she is interpreting something literally or when she is going through her process of figuring something out.
Homeland (2011-2020) - 8.3
Streaming on Hulu
This series stars Danes as Carrie Mathison a CIA operative who believes a prisoner of war, Marine Sergeant Nicholas Brody (Damien Lewis) is a terrorist radicalized by al-Qaeda.
This tense, long-running series featured Danes in a challenging role, playing a character who was not always likable. Viewers were engaged with the many plot twists and turns as well as the flawed, dynamic characters. The inner workings of the CIA and the danger inherent in their work protecting Americans provided dramatic situations that gave the actors a forum in which to shine.
My So-Called Life (1994-1995) - 8.4
Danes played 15-year-old Angela Chase in this coming-of-age series, which also featured Jared Leto as her high school crush Jordan Catalano.
Danes portrayed Angela with realism that resonated with audiences. The situations the character found herself in with friends, at school, and pining after her crush gave Danes strong story lines to portray. Despite the show's popularity, it was canceled after only one season.